Workers Charged With Abusing Autistic Boy On School Bus

CULPEPER, Va. (WUSA9) -- Imagine your child comes home with bruises and never wants to ride a school bus again.

That's what one Culpeper mother faced with her autistic son after his favorite toy was taken away from him.

5-year-old Cash Campbell was getting onto the school bus to go home from Sycamore Park Elementary School when the toy was taken away from him. His mother says, to a child that can be upsetting but to an autistic boy it can traumatic.

What happened after that was all caught on tape? With that evidence, the sheriff's department charged the two women?

Kathy Campbell says her then 5-year-old son, Cash, who's now 6 hasn't been the same since a bus ride home in February that started with this toy taken away from him.

"He was probably pointing his magic wand at kids. To him this is his world."

50-year-old Linda Rastall a former teacher aid and 56-year-old Betty Turner, a former bus aid were arrested this week and charged with physically and verbally abusing the boy.

Lt. Jason Romero, Culpeper Sheriff's Office said, "In one instance he's picked up and slammed down on the seat and another one of the people put her body weight on the child."

Campbell said, "It tears me up everyday knowing you put your trust and faith in the school, they're suppose to protect yourchildthen to find out not one but two people there's not an explanation."

Rastall and Turner both resigned shortly after the incident. But Campbell says the bus driver is still employed at the school.Romero, "We don't have any report from him. He could have reported it to another agency."

The Culpeper School District would not comment on the bus driver's employment status, citing it's apersonalmatter.They did release this statement:

The Culpeper School Division worked with the Culpeper Sheriff's Office and the Culpeper County Human Services Department to complete the investigation involving Ms. Rastall and Ms. Tuner. The two were employees of the school division but both resigned from their positions effective in February. As always our goal remains to provide our students and staff with a safe learning environment and we remain committed to that goal.

Rastall and Turner are each charged with misdemeanor counts of assault and battery and contributing to the delinquency of minor.Their next court appearance is May 8th.